Blood Test May Predict Suicide Risk

According to a recent study (published in Molecular Psychiatry) of bipolar patients in Indiana, molecules in the blood appear to indicate an individual’s current degree of suicidal intent.

The study was done on a small sample of the bipolar population (nine patients) so is really just a preliminary sort of study, however the findings were pretty interesting.

Researchers found that there are 41 enzymes and proteins in the blood that levels appear to fluctuate based on the patient’s level of suicidal risk.

One enzyme in particular called SAT1 was elevated in subjects who were feeling suicidal. Researchers also found that postmortem studies of the blood of subjects who had commit suicide had levels of SAT1 even greater than the living subjects researchers were studying.

Researchers also identified four biomarkers that may be used to indicate potential suicide risk in a patient even if the patient is not currently suicidal.

What an interesting find! You can find the whole article (with more detail) here.